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Substance Use Prevention Coalition
Addresses Strengthening and Building Partnerships
[March 17, 2025]
The Substance Use Prevention Coalition (SUPC) met for
its monthly meeting at Lincoln Memorial Hospital on March 13. Grace
Irvin of Chestnut Health Systems led the discussion which focused on
capacity according to the Strategic Planning Framework. Capacity is
about strengthening existing partnerships and figuring out who may
be missing for substance use prevention and recovery support. The
goal of this month’s meeting was to identify missing sectors within
the Logan County Substance Use Prevention Coalition and suggest
specific individuals, agencies, or organizations to fill these
roles. Members of the meeting brainstormed potential resources,
community organizations, businesses, and individuals who may support
the SUPC goals and mission and be interested in partnering or
joining the coalition.
SUPC members collected and recorded ideas of
potential allies in various sectors of the community. In the
business sector, coalition members suggested reaching out to
downtown businesses and other locally owned businesses, HR
representatives, onsite nurses, local manufacturing plants, the
tourism bureau, and the county of Lincoln.
In the education sector, suggestions included Heartland Community
College and their workforce training programs, School Resource
Officers, coaches, school counselors, alternative education, and
private schools. In the religious sector, churches and pastoral
counseling services could be resources. It is possible for a church
to become a Certified Recovery Congregation.
Potential contributors from the parent sector could come from PTO
and from the youth sector from focus groups at schools, 4-H, Girls
on the Run, the Youth Advisory Board, clubs, and sports. Other
suggestions included libraries, primary care providers, radio
stations, and local civic organizations such as Rotary and Zonta
Club.
Some who support substance use prevention and recovery may not be
able to attend meetings due to their job responsibilities, but may
be access points for resources and delivering information and
education to the community, for example, those in government
positions.
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The discussion concluded with
ideas for making “elevator pitches” for approaching parties in
each sector with invitations for joining the SUPC and its
mission.
Prevention and Harm Reduction Updates
The text message campaign at Lincoln Community High School will
have a focus group at LCHS to assess perceived quality and
effectiveness of the campaign.
Harm reduction initiatives continue in Logan and
Mason County with free naloxone and fentanyl test strips at Mt.
Pulaski Public Library, Logan County Department of Public Health,
Family Custom Cleaners, Logan County Courthouse, Havana Public
Library, Mason County Health Department, and the Mason County
library.
Red containers for safe sharps disposal are available at the Logan
County Department of Public Health. The containers are available at
no charge and the Health Department will dispose of full containers
for free.
The last Saturday of April is National Prescription Drug Take Back
Day. Mason County will have law enforcement collecting expired drugs
and medicines at three locations on that day. The Logan County
Health Department and CVS in Lincoln also have easily accessed drop
boxes for expired prescription and OTC drugs available anytime
during business hours.
The next Recovery-Oriented Systems of Care meeting will be March 20
at Hope on Fifth or via Zoom. The next SUPC meeting will be April 10
at 9 a.m. at LMH or via Zoom. The next Community Health
Collaborative will next meet on June 5 at LMH or via MS Teams.
[Stephanie Hall]
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